LAHORE, Jan 31: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday suspended a notification issued by the Punjab governor with regard to nomination of Red Crescent Society (Punjab) managing committee members.

Earlier, the court had suspended society's chairman Zahid Bashir appointed by the governor and authorised its managing committee to run necessary affairs.

Some members of the managing committee including Liaquat Ali Chishti and Muhammad Munawar had challenged the appointment of Mr Bashir and later the appointment of the committee's members by the governor.

The petitioners contended that the governor appointed six members of the committee purely on political grounds and in violation of the Red Crescent Society (RCS) rules.

They said previously the governor had removed former chairman and appointed his 'blue-eyed' Zahid Bashir, ignoring rules. They said as per law the governor had no role in the affairs of the society but he was trying to politicise a public welfare institution.

They prayed to the court to set aside the impugned notification being illegal and without lawful authority.

After hearing the contention, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah suspended the impugned notification and directed the counsel from both sides to come up with their arguments on Feb 6. pharmacists:

The Lahore High Court on Tuesday ordered the Punjab health department to regularise 31 ad hoc pharmacists within two months who had passed the written test and interview conducted by the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC).

The court issued this order while disposing of several petitions filed by some 92 ad hoc pharmacists seeking regularisation of their services. An additional advocate general told the court on Tuesday that only 31 out of 92 ad hoc pharmacists had passed the written test and interview held by the public service commission.

At this, Justice Umar Ata Bandial ordered regularisation of the pharmacists who were declared successful in the interview and gave two-month time to the health department for the purpose.